The Meaning of John 6:39 Explained

John 6:39

KJV: And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

YLT: 'And this is the will of the Father who sent me, that all that He hath given to me I may not lose of it, but may raise it up in the last day;

Darby: And this is the will of him that has sent me, that of all that he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up in the last day.

ASV: And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  this  is  the Father's  will  which  hath sent  me,  that  of all  which  he hath given  me  I should lose  nothing,  but  should raise  it  up again  at  the last  day. 

What does John 6:39 Mean?

Context Summary

John 6:30-40 - The Father's Will Jesus' Law Of Life
On the day following, our Lord had to encounter, first the demand of the people for a continuation of the miracle of the preceding night, John 6:25-40; second, the murmur of "the Jews," that is, their religious leaders, John 6:41-51; third, the growing heat of His opponents, John 6:52-59; and lastly, the failure of many of His disciples, John 6:60-71. But His mountain prayer had prepared Him, John 6:15.
The manna was only a type of His mission to meet the hunger of the human spirit for truth, and love, and hope. He is the true bread from heaven, God's best gift (of the reality of which all material substances are but emblems), not only satisfying passing hunger but imparting life, and only waiting to be appropriated by any that will. Let us come to Him, turning from all else. To come is to cease to hunger, to trust is to lose our thirst. Jesus suffices for heaven; shall he not suffice also for earth? Note the identical clauses of John 6:37. All whom the Father gives to Christ come to Him; and all who come to Him prove that they are included in the Father's gift, bestowed before the worlds were made. See John 10:28-29; John 17:6. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 6

1  Jesus feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes
15  Thereupon the people would have made him king;
16  but withdrawing himself, he walks on the sea to his disciples;
26  reproves the people flocking after him, and all the fleshly hearers of his word;
32  declares himself to be the bread of life to believers
66  Many disciples depart from him
68  Peter confesses him
70  Judas is a devil

Greek Commentary for John 6:39

That of all that which [ινα παν ο]
Literally, “That all which” (see John 6:37 for παν ο — pan ho), but there is a sharp anacoluthon with παν — pān left as nominativus pendens. I should lose nothing Construed with ινα — hina “that I shall not lose anything of it.” Απολεσω — Apolesō from απολλυμι — apollumi can be either future active indicative or first aorist active subjunctive as is true also of αναστησω — anastēsō (from ανιστημι — anistēmi), “I shall raise up.” At the last day Locative case without εν — en Only in John, but four times here (John 6:39, John 6:40, John 6:44, John 6:54) “with the majesty of a solemn refrain.” In John 7:37 it is the last day of the feast of tabernacles, but in John 11:24; John 12:48 of the day of judgment as here. Christ is the Agent of the general resurrection in John 5:28 as in 1 Corinthians 15:22 while here only the resurrection of the righteous is mentioned. [source]
The Father's will []
Omit the Father's. Render, the will of Him, etc. [source]
That of all which He hath given me [ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκέ μοι]
The construction is a peculiar and broken one. All which He hath given, stands alone as an absolute nominative; a very emphatic and impressive mode of statement. Literally it reads, that all which He hath given me I should lose nothing out of it. [source]
At the last day [ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ]
The phrase occurs only in John. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 6:39

John 5:22 Hath committed [δέδωκεν]
Rev., given. The habitual word for the bestowment of the privileges and functions of the Son. See John 5:36; John 3:35; John 6:37, John 6:39; John 10:29, etc. [source]
John 5:23 Which sent Him []
A phrase peculiar to John, and used only by the Lord, of the Father. See John 4:34; John 6:38, John 6:39; John 7:16, John 7:28, John 7:33, etc. [source]
John 12:48 The last day []
Peculiar to John. See John 6:39. [source]
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life [καγω διδωμι αυτοις ζωην αιωνιον]
This is the gift of Jesus now to his sheep as stated in John 6:27, John 6:40 (cf. 1 John 2:25; 1 John 5:11). And they shall never perish Emphatic double negative with second aorist middle (intransitive) subjunctive of απολλυμι — apollumi to destroy. The sheep may feel secure (John 3:16; John 6:39; John 17:12; John 18:9). And no one shall snatch them out of my hand Jesus had promised this security in Galilee (John 6:37, John 6:39). No wolf, no thief, no bandit, no hireling, no demon, not even the devil can pluck the sheep out of my hand. Cf. Colossians 3:3 (Your life is hid together with Christ in God). [source]
John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life [Εγω ειμι η αναστασις και η ζωη]
This reply is startling enough. They are not mere doctrines about future events, but present realities in Jesus himself. “The Resurrection is one manifestation of the Life: it is involved in the Life” (Westcott). Note the article with both αναστασις — anastasis and ζωη — zōē Jesus had taught the future resurrection often (John 6:39), but here he means more, even that Lazarus is now alive. Though he die “Even if he die,” condition (concession) of third class with και εαν — kai ean Yet shall he live Future middle of ζαω — zaō (spiritual life, of course). [source]
John 17:2 That [ινα]
Secondary purpose with ινα δωσει — hina dōsei (future active indicative) carrying on the idea of ινα δοχασηι — hina doxasēi See John 13:34; John 17:21 for ινα κατωσ ινα — hina class="normal greek">παν ο — kathōs class="normal greek">παν ο — hina Whatsoever (ο — pān ho). A peculiar classical Greek idiom, the collective use of the singular αυτοις — pān ho as in John 6:37, John 6:39 and ho in John 17:24 and the nominative absolute (nom. pendens) with autois (to them), the dative plural explaining the construction. See Robertson, Grammar, p. 653. [source]
John 5:28 In the tombs [εν τοις μνημειοις]
Ταπος — Taphos (grave) presents the notion of burial Jesus claims not only the power of life (spiritual) and of judgment, but of power to quicken the actual dead at the Last Day. They will hear his voice and come out A general judgment and a general bodily resurrection we have here for both good and bad as in Matthew 25:46; Acts 24:15; 2 Corinthians 5:10 and as often implied in the words of Jesus (Matthew 5:29.; Matthew 10:28; Luke 11:32). In John 6:39 Jesus asserts that he will raise up the righteous. [source]
John 17:2 Authority over all flesh [εχουσιαν πασης σαρκος]
Σαρκος — Sarkos is objective genitive. Stupendous claim impossible for a mere man to make. Made already in Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22 (Q, the Logia of Jesus, our earliest known document about Jesus) and repeated in Matthew 28:18 after his resurrection. That Secondary purpose with ινα δωσει — hina dōsei (future active indicative) carrying on the idea of ινα δοχασηι — hina doxasēi See John 13:34; John 17:21 for ινα κατωσ ινα — hina class="normal greek">παν ο — kathōs class="normal greek">παν ο — hina Whatsoever (ο — pān ho). A peculiar classical Greek idiom, the collective use of the singular αυτοις — pān ho as in John 6:37, John 6:39 and ho in John 17:24 and the nominative absolute (nom. pendens) with autois (to them), the dative plural explaining the construction. See Robertson, Grammar, p. 653. [source]
John 6:37 All that [παν ο]
Collective use of the neuter singular, classic idiom, seen also in John 6:39; John 17:2, John 17:24; 1 John 5:4. Perhaps the notion of unity like εν — hen in John 17:21 underlies this use of παν ο — pān ho Giveth me For the idea that the disciples are given to the Son see also John 6:39, John 6:65; John 10:29; John 17:2, John 17:6, John 17:9, John 17:12, John 17:24; John 18:9. I will in no wise cast out Strong double negation as in John 6:35 with second aorist active subjunctive of βαλλω — ballō Definite promise of Jesus to welcome the one who comes. [source]
John 6:39 That of all that which [ινα παν ο]
Literally, “That all which” (see John 6:37 for παν ο — pan ho), but there is a sharp anacoluthon with παν — pān left as nominativus pendens. I should lose nothing Construed with ινα — hina “that I shall not lose anything of it.” Απολεσω — Apolesō from απολλυμι — apollumi can be either future active indicative or first aorist active subjunctive as is true also of αναστησω — anastēsō (from ανιστημι — anistēmi), “I shall raise up.” At the last day Locative case without εν — en Only in John, but four times here (John 6:39, John 6:40, John 6:44, John 6:54) “with the majesty of a solemn refrain.” In John 7:37 it is the last day of the feast of tabernacles, but in John 11:24; John 12:48 of the day of judgment as here. Christ is the Agent of the general resurrection in John 5:28 as in 1 Corinthians 15:22 while here only the resurrection of the righteous is mentioned. [source]
1 Thessalonians 4:14 Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him [καὶ ὁ θεὸς τοὺς κοιμηθέντας διὰ τοῦ Ἱησοῦ ἄξει σὺν αὐτῷ]
(1) Which sleep should be, which have been laid asleep or have fallen asleep, giving the force of the passive. (2) Διὰ τοῦ Ἱησοῦ can by no possibility be rendered in Jesus, which would be ἐν Ἱησοῦ :see 1 Corinthians 15:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:16. It must mean through or by means of Jesus. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(3) The attempt to construe διὰ τοῦ Ἱησοῦ with τοὺς κοιμηθέντας thosewho have fallen asleep by means of Jesus, gives an awkward and forced interpretation. It has been explained by supposing a reference to martyrs who have died by Jesus; because of their faith in him. In that case we should expect the accusative, διὰ τὸν Ἱησοῦν onaccount of or for the sake of Jesus. Moreover Paul is not accentuating that idea. Κοιμηθέντας would be universally understood by the church as referring to the death of Christians, so that by Jesus would be superfluous. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(4) Διὰ τοῦ Ἱησοῦ should be construed with ἄξει willbring. Rend. the whole: them also that are fallen asleep will God through Jesus bring with him. Jesus is thus represented as the agent of the resurrection. See 1 Corinthians 15:21; John 5:28; John 6:39, John 6:44, John 6:54. Bring ( ἄξει ) is used instead of ἐγειρεῖ shallraise up, because the thought of separation was prominent in the minds of the Thessalonians. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

1 Peter 1:5 Are guarded [προυρουμενους]
Present (continuous process) passive articular Intermediate agency (δια — dia), the immediate being (εν — en in, by) God‘s power.Unto a salvation Deliverance is the goal Prepared awaiting God‘s will (Galatians 3:23; Romans 8:18).To be revealed First aorist passive infinitive of αποκαλυπτω — apokaluptō to unveil. Cf. Colossians 3:4 for πανεροω — phaneroō (to manifest) in this sense.In the last time (εν καιρωι εσχατωι — en kairōi eschatōi). This precise phrase nowhere else, but similar ones in John 6:39; Acts 2:17; James 5:3; 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3; Hebrews 1:2; Judges 1:18; 1 John 2:18. Hort translates it here “in a season of extremity,” but it is usually taken to refer to the Day of Judgment. That day no one knows, Jesus said. [source]
1 Peter 1:5 Unto a salvation [εις σωτηριαν]
Deliverance is the goal Prepared awaiting God‘s will (Galatians 3:23; Romans 8:18).To be revealed First aorist passive infinitive of αποκαλυπτω — apokaluptō to unveil. Cf. Colossians 3:4 for πανεροω — phaneroō (to manifest) in this sense.In the last time (εν καιρωι εσχατωι — en kairōi eschatōi). This precise phrase nowhere else, but similar ones in John 6:39; Acts 2:17; James 5:3; 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3; Hebrews 1:2; Judges 1:18; 1 John 2:18. Hort translates it here “in a season of extremity,” but it is usually taken to refer to the Day of Judgment. That day no one knows, Jesus said. [source]
1 Peter 1:5 To be revealed [αποκαλυπτηναι]
First aorist passive infinitive of αποκαλυπτω — apokaluptō to unveil. Cf. Colossians 3:4 for πανεροω — phaneroō (to manifest) in this sense.In the last time (εν καιρωι εσχατωι — en kairōi eschatōi). This precise phrase nowhere else, but similar ones in John 6:39; Acts 2:17; James 5:3; 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3; Hebrews 1:2; Judges 1:18; 1 John 2:18. Hort translates it here “in a season of extremity,” but it is usually taken to refer to the Day of Judgment. That day no one knows, Jesus said. [source]
1 Peter 1:5 In the last time [εν καιρωι εσχατωι]
This precise phrase nowhere else, but similar ones in John 6:39; Acts 2:17; James 5:3; 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3; Hebrews 1:2; Judges 1:18; 1 John 2:18. Hort translates it here “in a season of extremity,” but it is usually taken to refer to the Day of Judgment. That day no one knows, Jesus said. [source]
2 Peter 3:3 In the last days [επ εσχατων των ημερων]
“Upon the last of the days.” Judges 1:18 has it επ εσχατου χρονου — ep' eschatou chronou (upon the last time). In 1 Peter 1:5 it is εν καιρωι εσχατωι — en kairōi eschatōi (in the last time), while 1 Peter 1:20 has επ εσχατου των χρονων — ep' eschatou tōn chronōn (upon the last of the times). John has usually τηι εσχατηι ημεραι — tēi eschatēi hēmerāi (on the last day, John 6:39.). Here εσχατων — eschatōn is a predicate adjective like συμμυς μονς — summus mons (the top of the mountain).Mockers with mockery (εμπαιγμονηι εμπαικται — empaigmonēi empaiktai). Note Peter‘s play on words again, both from εμπαιζω — empaizō (Matthew 2:16), to trifle with, and neither found elsewhere save εμπαικτης — empaiktēs in Judges 1:18; Isaiah 3:4 (playing like children). [source]
1 John 4:17 The day of judgment [τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως]
Lit., the day of judgment. The exact phrase occurs here only. Ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως dayof judgment, without the articles, is found Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22, Matthew 11:24; Matthew 12:36; 2 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 3:7. The day is called the great day of their wrath (Revelation 6:17); the day of wrath and of revelation of the righteous judgement of God (Romans 2:5); the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:12); the last day (John 6:39, John 6:40, John 6:44, John 6:54); that day (Matthew 7:22; Luke 6:23; Luke 10:12). The judgment is found Matthew 12:41, Matthew 12:42; Luke 10:14; Luke 11:31, Luke 11:32. [source]
1 John 2:16 All that [παν το]
Collective use of the neuter singular as in 1 John 5:4, like παν ο — pān ho in John 6:37, John 6:39. Three examples, not necessarily covering all sins, are given in the nominative in apposition with παν το — pān to “The lust of the flesh” David Smith thinks that, as in the case of Eve (Genesis 3:1-6) and the temptations of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11), these three sins include all possible sins. But they are all “of the world” The problem for the believer is always how to be in the world and yet not of it (John 17:11, John 17:14.). [source]
1 John 1:1 That which [ο]
Strictly speaking, the neuter relative here is not personal, but the message “concerning the Word of life” For discussion of the Λογος — Logos see notes on John 1:1-18. Here the Λογος — Logos is described by της ζωης — tēs zōēs (of life), while in John 1:4 he is called η ζωη — hē zōē (the Life) as here in 1 John 1:2 and as Jesus calls himself (John 11:25; John 14:6), an advance on the phrase here, and in Revelation 19:14 he is termed ο λογος του τεου — ho logos tou theou (the Word of God), though in John 1:1 the Λογος — Logos is flatly named ο τεος — ho theos (God). John does use ο — ho in a collective personal sense in John 6:37, John 6:39. See also παν ο — pan ho in 1 John 5:4. [source]
1 John 5:4 Whatsoever is begotten of God [παν το γεγεννημενον εκ του τεου]
Neuter singular perfect passive participle of γενναω — gennaō rather than the masculine singular (1 John 5:1) to express sharply the universality of the principle (Rothe) as in John 3:6, John 3:8; John 6:37, John 6:39.Overcometh the world (νικαι τον κοσμον — nikāi ton kosmon). Present active indicative of νικαω — nikaō a continuous victory because a continuous struggle, “keeps on conquering the world” (“the sum of all the forces antagonistic to the spiritual life,” D. Smith).This is the victory For this form of expression see 1 John 1:5; John 1:19. Νικη — Nikē (victory, cf. νικαω — nikaō), old word, here alone in N.T., but the later form νικος — nikos in Matthew 12:20; 1 Corinthians 15:54-55, 1 Corinthians 15:57.That overcometh (η νικησασα — hē nikēsasa). First aorist active articular participle of νικαω — nikaō The English cannot reproduce the play on the word here. The aorist tense singles out an individual experience when one believed or when one met temptation with victory. Jesus won the victory over the world (John 16:33) and God in us (1 John 4:4) gives us the victory.Even our faith The only instance of πιστις — pistis in the Johannine Epistles (not in John‘s Gospel, though in the Apocalypse). It is our faith in Jesus Christ as shown by our confession (1 John 5:1) and by our life (1 John 5:2). [source]
Revelation 2:7 Of the tree [ἐκ ξύλου]
The preposition ἐκ outof occurs one hundred and twenty-seven times in Revelation, and its proper signification is almost universally out of; but this rendering in many of the passages would be so strange and unidiomatic, that the New Testament Revisers have felt themselves able to adopt it only forty-one times out of all that number, and employ of, from, by, with, on, at, because of, by reason of, from among. See, for instance, Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:21, Revelation 2:22; Revelation 6:4, Revelation 6:10; Revelation 8:11; Revelation 9:18; Revelation 14:13; Revelation 15:2; Revelation 16:21. Compare John 3:31; John 4:13, John 6:13, John 6:39, John 6:51; John 8:23, John 8:44; John 9:6; John 11:1; John 12:3, John 12:27, John 12:32; John 17:5. Tree, lit., wood. See on Luke 23:31; see on 1 Peter 2:24. Dean Plumptre notes the fact that, prominent as this symbol had been in the primeval history, it had remained unnoticed in the teaching where we should most have looked for its presence - in that of the Psalmist and Prophets of the Old Testament. Only in the Proverbs of Solomon had it been used, in a sense half allegorical and half mystical (Proverbs 3:18; Proverbs 13:12; Proverbs 11:30; Proverbs 15:4). The revival of the symbol in Revelation is in accordance with the theme of the restitution of all things. “The tree which disappeared with the disappearance of the earthly Paradise, reappears with the reappearance of the heavenly.” To eat of the tree of life expresses participation in the life eternal. The figure of the tree of life appears in all mythologies from India to Scandinavia. The Rabbins and Mohammedans called the vine the probation tree. The Zend Avesta has its tree of life called the Death-Destroyer. It grows by the waters of life, and the drinking of its sap confers immortality. The Hindu tree of life is pictured as growing out of a great seed in the midst of an expanse of water. It has three branches, each crowned with a sun, denoting the three powers of creation, preservation, and renovation after destruction. In another representation Budha sits in meditation under a tree with three branches, each branch having three stems. One of the Babylonian cylinders discovered by Layard, represents three priestesses gathering the fruit of what seems to be a palm-tree with three branches on each side. Athor, the Venus of the Egyptians, appears half-concealed in the branches of the sacred peach-tree, giving to the departed soul the fruit, and the drink of heaven from a vial from which the streams of life descend upon the spirit, a figure at the foot of the tree, like a hawk, with a human head and with hands outstretched. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
In the Norse mythology a prominent figure is Igdrasil, the Ash-tree of Existence; its roots in the kingdom of Eels or Death, its trunk reaching to heaven, and its boughs spread over the whole universe. At its foot, in the kingdom of Death, sit three Nornas or Fates, the Past, the Present, and the Future, watering its roots from the sacred well. Compare Revelation 22:2, Revelation 22:14, Revelation 22:19. Virgil, addressing Dante at the completion of the ascent of the Purgatorial Mount, says:“That apple sweet, which through so many branchesThe care of mortals goeth in pursuit of, Today shall put in peace thy hungerings.”“Purgatorio,” xxvii., 115-117. ParadiseSee on Luke 23:43. Omit in the midst of. Παράδεισος Paradise“passes through a series of meanings, each one higher than the last. From any garden of delight, which is its first meaning, it comes to be predominantly applied to the garden of Eden, then to the resting-place of separate souls in joy and felicity, and lastly to the very heaven itself; and we see eminently in it, what we see indeed in so many words, how revealed religion assumes them into her service, and makes them vehicles of far higher truth than any which they knew at first, transforming and transfiguring them, as in this case, from glory to glory” (Trench). [source]

What do the individual words in John 6:39 mean?

This now is the will of the [One] having sent Me that all that He has given Me none I should lose of it but will raise up it in the last day
Τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με ἵνα πᾶν δέδωκέν μοι μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἀλλὰ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ

Τοῦτο  This 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
δέ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τοῦ  of  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πέμψαντός  having  sent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: πέμπω  
Sense: to send.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
δέδωκέν  He  has  given 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
μοι  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
μὴ  none 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μή 
Sense: no, not lest.
ἀπολέσω  I  should  lose 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀπόλλυμι  
Sense: to destroy.
ἀναστήσω  will  raise  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀναπηδάω 
Sense: to cause to rise up, raise up.
ἐσχάτῃ  last 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἔσχατος  
Sense: extreme.
ἡμέρᾳ  day 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.